Residents near Tokyo are questioning the slow rescue efforts for a 74-year-old truck driver trapped in a sinkhole for three days, as workers race to build a 30-meter ramp to reach him.

Fears are intensifying for the well-being of a truck driver who has now spent three days trapped inside a massive sinkhole in Japan. Rescue workers are desperately constructing a ramp in a bid to reach the driver, whose fate is growing increasingly uncertain.

The 74-year-old man, whose identity has not been released, became trapped when the sinkhole suddenly opened up on a road near Tokyo on Tuesday, swallowing both him and his two-tonne truck. Since then, the sinkhole has expanded, and the presence of leaking water and gas pipes has further complicated the efforts to rescue him. By Friday evening, workers had begun building a 30-meter-long ramp with the hope that it would allow them to access the man, whose truck cab is buried beneath a layer of soil and debris.

As residents of Yashio, a town in Saitama prefecture, expressed frustration over the slow progress of the operation, local fire chief Tetsuji Sato explained the dangers of the situation. He described the area around the sinkhole, particularly at the traffic intersection where it originated, as "extremely dangerous." Sato explained that the rescue team was working to construct a slope from a safer location, which would facilitate the transport of heavy equipment. However, the ongoing leak of groundwater into the hole, combined with its continued expansion, was making the situation more perilous. According to Kyodo news agency, the sinkhole has reached a depth of 15 meters and a width of 40 meters.

To ensure safety, authorities evacuated residents within a 200-meter radius of the site and urged 1.2 million people in nearby towns and cities to minimize water usage, specifically for activities such as baths and laundry. This precautionary measure was implemented to prevent the already hazardous situation from worsening due to leaking sewage. A prefectural official noted, "It’s difficult not to use the toilet, but we are asking people to do their best to use less water."

Officials in Yashio believe the sinkhole was caused by deteriorating sewage pipes, which allowed water to seep into the surrounding soil, leading to its weakening and eventual collapse. Some of the sewage water in the area has been collected, disinfected, and released into a nearby river to reduce the runoff entering the sinkhole.

By the fourth day of the rescue operation, further erosion of the sinkhole's walls had made it too dangerous for workers to stay underground for extended periods. With concerns growing about the trapped truck driver’s health, there is additional worry as it has been more than 72 hours since he was last heard from. The critical 72-hour survival window for people trapped without food or water has now passed.

The workers had initially hoped to complete the construction of the slope by the end of Friday, but officials have now acknowledged that it could take several more days before the ramp is finished. Once completed, heavy machinery will be used to clear the debris, and rescue teams will venture into the sinkhole to search for the truck driver.

Nearby residents have expressed concern over the extended duration of the search operation. “It feels rather abnormal that the search is taking this long,” said Takuya Koroku, a 51-year-old factory worker. “I wonder if he could have been saved much sooner. I’m scared to go near it.”